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| Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 32 | August 1-15, 2007 |
Manipur Govt to hold talks with underground groups Responding to the peace overture by some Kuki militants, the Manipur government has decided to hold peace talks with underground organisations operating in the state. The decision to initiate peace talks was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh. The sources said adding the decision would be conveyed to the Centre soon. The cabinet also approved the ‘draft ground rules for peace talks’, they said. The basic points of the ground rules include identification of designated camps where militants willing to hold peace talks would be kept, the sources said, adding the ultras should also stop extorting money from public and cease all violent activities during the peace talks. The government decision follows the desire of some Kuki militant outfits to hold talks within the framework of the Constitution. The main outfits were Kuki National Front-President, Kuki National Front - Military Council, Kuki National Army, Kuki Revolutionary Army and United Kuki Liberation Front. Their main demand was to disintegrate Manipur and form small states along ethnic lines. Central security forces had entered into a ceasefire with the Kuki militants in 2005 but this was objected to by the state government. Sources said clashes erupted between state forces and the militants since the two did not sign any ceasefire agreement. They said since the government decided to hold talks, state forces might suspend operation against those outfits who would participate in the talks. |
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